The present invention relates to a slide valve for fluid-carrying lines, having a stationary valve plate and two separately movable sealing plates, which like the valve plate each have a plurality of flow openings, formed by ribs, which can be selectively opened or closed by moving the sealing plates.
In German patent No. 1 052 195, a slide valve having two separately movable sealing plates is known. This slide valve, which is used above all as a regulating valve, has a valve plate with a plurality of individual openings. The openings all have the same cross section. With the sealing plates, the situation is different: Their opening cross sections increase in size in a transverse direction inside the sealing plate. The transverse directions of the increasing opening cross sections of the two plates are aligned oppositely to one another. By displacing the sealing plates, the flow cross section can thus be varied in an infinitely graduated manner. The adjustability allows only very small opening cross sections, however, in proportion to the total cross section. Moreover, fast closure of the slide is attainable only with difficulty in this valve, because the primary object here is to change the operative location of the flow.
In the present case, the intent is to develop a slide valve for pipelines in potentially explosive plants. The slide valve should close immediately if the pressure in the pipeline system increases abruptly, or if optical sensors detect light from a fire; the slide valve is intended to prevent the propagation of a wave of flame and pressure within the pipeline system.